


Just Relax

by ActWriteLoveDie



Series: The Tale of Two Lieutenants [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-24
Updated: 2012-09-24
Packaged: 2017-11-14 23:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/520413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActWriteLoveDie/pseuds/ActWriteLoveDie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is looking a little tense. James tries to get his buddy to relax.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Relax

“No, I don’t think you understand! This isn’t just anyone you’re screwing over here; this is Commander Shepard’s package that you’ve supposedly ‘lost in transit!’ Maybe you’ve heard of her? She’s the reason why you and all the other people on the Citadel aren’t dead right now-”

James has known Steve for a long time but not once has he ever seen his friend like this.

“Yeah, well, don’t press your luck. She’s a Spectre. That means she can get away with pretty much anything...”

The man is overworked and stressed to all hell and, boy, is it putting him on edge. He gets told on a regular basis to relax and right now Vega is tempted to skip that step and go straight to tying him up to a bunk for forty-eight hours because this is not a good look for the lieutenant.”

“-we’re docked here for one more day. If the Normandy doesn’t receive that package within an hour of our leaving, I’d really hate to be you.”

James puts down the M-96 Mattock assault rifle he’s working on and makes his way over to the terminal Cortez is on and typing up something with way too much aggression in how his hands are moving. Steve doesn’t even acknowledge his presence which makes it that much easier for Vega to sneak up close to him and get his hands on the other lieutenant’s shoulders.

“Whatever you want, Lieutenant, you’re gonna have to to wait for a while.” Steve practically growls the words out. “I need to finish-”

“Shh...” James croons as he starts to knead Cortez’ tense muscles. “You need to take a quick break.”

Steve sighs wearily, “I can’t just-”

James hums loudly and starts laying into his shoulders with a little more pressure. “Just a short one. The world’s not gonna end if you put all that shit aside for ten minutes.”

Cortez starts relaxing a bit but Vega can practically feel the frown pulling on his buddy’s face as he starts to protest again. “I really need to-”

“Five minutes, Esteban,” James interjects a third time, “C’mon, I see you down here every day and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you pull some loco shit like that. Just relax.”

Steve lets out a breathy laugh and Vega can finally feeling the lieutenant let go and move along with the squeeze and pull of his hands. “You’ve been watching me, Mister Vega? I didn’t know you cared. I guess that explains why I’ve been doing a lot of the work around here lately.”

James sucks at his teeth and pinches a muscle right at the base of Steve’s neck. “¡Callete guey! M’tryin to be nice here!”

Cortez chuckles and nods, going quiet. With that silence between them, James starts to have a problem. He starts thinking about what he’s doing and how it might be kinda really fuckin’ awkward if the Commander were to come down here. If it was Garrus, it might be worse. That Turian loves to “share stories” and Vega’s pretty damn sure that he’s exaggerated on each and every one of the ones he’s been told.

“You’re pretty good at this.”

Steve’s words snap James back into the moment and away from his thoughts. Not one to turn down a compliment, Vega grins, “Are you kiddin’? I’m great at this.”

“Good to see you’re your usual humble self, Lieutenant.”

James snorts and moves his ministrations to between Steve’s shoulder blades. He gets an appreciative sound in response for his troubles that Vega is trying really hard to not focus on. That’s a whole other kind of awkward than what he’s prepared for. “I uh,” James stammers a little, “I guess I got a good spot, yeah?”

Cortez doesn’t answer. Vega narrows his eyes out of suspicion and presses a little harder into that same spot. Steve makes a similar noise from before but just a little quieter. Well, at least now he knows the other lieutenant didn’t just up and die on him while getting a message.

“I came down here to check on my new rifle,” James snaps his head towards the elevator and sees Lieutenant Commander Williams standing in the doorway, “but I guess I can come back later.” Vega guesses he must be making one hell of a face because Ash gets hit by a case of laughter that she’s just barely containing. “Don’t mind me, gentlemen. Keep up the good work.”

By the time Williams is back in the elevator and the doors start to close, James finally figures what he wants to say. “Can’t one guy give another guy a massage without someone makin’ somethin’ out of it?!”

“Hey,” Steve elbows Vega in the guy lightly to get his attention, “Why’d you stop?”

James blinks and motions at the door frantically, “Did you not just- Ash saw what I... are you kiddin’ me right now?!”

“What was it that you said to me?” Cortez turns around and pats one side of Vega’s face. He starts moving close enough that James starts thinking the guy is about to kiss him. “Just relax.”

“Esteban...” Vega licks his lips and then presses them together into a tight line, not exactly sure what his buddy is doing. 

“Calm down, Mister Vega.” Steve chuckles and shakes his head. He takes a step back and turns back to his terminal. “The five minutes are up. Thanks, that really helped me out.”

“Uh, yeah, no problem.” James mumbles as he rubs the back of his own neck and lowers his head, moving back to his area. He’s got a rifle to finish putting back together. That should be a decent enough distraction.


End file.
